Coloured rock?

[Nonfamous]

Okay, so I'm still new at this. I know that in time colour will develop in my tank from the various algae living there. I have some purples, a little light green and a LOT of brown! Right now though, my tank is kinda boring.

I was at the LFS and saw some coloured rock. They did not appear to be plastic. Mostly they were decorative arches and such. They looked and felt (touch and weight) like rock. I would guess concrete. They were painted or dyed various colours. Ranging from red to green and even blue. Would I be asking for trouble down the line by adding some of this stuff? I would ASSUME that the manufacturer would not sell something that would could hurt the tank, but I have been known to ASSUME the wrong things from time to time!

 

[SarahSmile]

I'd say that's a no go.
Most of us rely on corals and coraline algae for some color in our tank.
I know some have success with colorful sponges and feather dusters tho I've always read they were hard to keep.

 

[SarahSmile]

As someone who has 3 chromis and 1 clown I know what you are saying! The rocks will take on a nice patina, think of it as a marathon and not a sprint, and you'll have a nice overall natural look.
A lot of those decorations are ok for freshwater but not saltwater. The saltwater eventually causes those dyes and things in the decor to break down and leach into your water. And, I can almost guarantee, those rocks are not the right type of rock for a saltwater tank.